9 hours

What a weekend, despite 'dem Skinnies dropping a close one to the hated Cowboys. I was hoping to unleash a guttural scream of joy at the end, assuming they could close the deal in that last drive. I reminded the family that 2 years ago on that Monday night game when Brunell and Moss combined for two quick strikes to pull out a victory, I had to suppress my celebration due to the fact that I would have woken everyone up. Gingerly jumping up and down and hollering through clenched teeth at midnight isn't quite as cathartic as the real thing, but satisfying nonetheless.

I rode 9 hours this weekend, which is much more than normal. Note the following: while Sunday's ride was the typical Bicycle Place shop ride, Saturday's ride was a 6 hour slog for 40 miles with a few Boy Scouts and their parents. A primer on lower than Zone 1 training, thusly: Accompany a group of youngsters and some of their parents on a trip up the C & O Canal from Dickerson to Harper's Ferry on various bikes, mostly of the MTB variety. Start at 9AM from Dickerson. Eat lunch at the Swiss Miss at Harper's Ferry, plan on a few breaks along the way as this crowd isn't used to riding long distances. Return to Dickerson at 5PM. That's about 6 hours in the saddle, about 6.7 MPH, estimated 100 feet of climbing (and that's being generous). If THAT doesn't get yer motor revvin'....then the walk across the railroad bridge into Harper's Ferry sure could, as the steel grated staircase offered dramatic views into the river. It certainly helped for Sunday's ride, a 50 mile affair with the usual mixin' it up with the big boys (and the rest of the unwashed).

The coolest part of the Saturday leg, though, was the amount of time spent with my 12 year old son, who got to be with me and away from me at the same time, as that is his tendency at this age. He rode at his own pace while I swept the rear with a kid who had probably never ridden longer than 5 miles in his life, and he was really hurtin'. They all made it though, and probably got to know themselves better in the process. These are moments to enjoy, as they are as fleeting as the autmn colors, which we also saw plenty of.